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Written by Del Fuego
Monday, 07 April 2008 17:10 |
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Piaggio MP3 400ie - Page 3
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Page 3 of 3 
I am not really sure what job the MP3 is best suited for. It would be a gem for regular motorway commuting,especially in high precipitation areas, so long as you didn’t have to do too much urban traffic warfare and had a good sized parking area available. Then again if you want to make some new friends the MP3 400ie may just be the perfect machine. One final distinct similarity between these two unusual Italians is that they attract very polar opinion; people either love or loath this futuristic looking alien/bug styled contraption. Unfortunately it would seem that the females seem to be opposed to it as a rule which didn’t help me too much… although one wonderful young lady (who I think I will marry) thought it was terribly “cuteâ€. Perhaps that is where the Ferrari will work in your favor? If you would like a more detailed description click here for the MP3 250 review, the bikes are very similar bar the changes noted above. Price: United Kingdom £5,049.00: USA $8,699.00:, Europe €7,100.00:, NZ $13,990.00 | 0-50km/h | 4.8 Seconds | | 0-100km/h | 13.1 Seconds | | 50-80km/h | 4.8 Seconds | | Fuel Economy | 5.2L/100kms - 45MPG | | Speedo Accuracy | 50kph displayed = 45kph actual - 100kph diplayed = 90kph actual |
| | Pros: | Very stable, fantastic confidence in the wet, comfortable, excellent stopping, loads of storage space, remote unlocking of storage areas, gets tons of attention, totally unique | | Cons: | Heavy, hesitation off the line, gets tons of attention, expensive |
| | Handling |   | | Performance |  | | Fuel Consumption | | | Value for money | | | Ease of use | | | Styling | | | Build quality | |
| | Overall Score | 73% |
Manufacturer Specifications| Max power at shaft | 34 bhp (25 Kw) at 7,500 rpm | | Max torque | 37 Nm at 5000 rpm | | Engine Type | Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled fuel-injected four-valve 4-stroke | | Cylinder Capacity | 398.9 cc | | Seat height | 785mm | | Dry weight | ---
| | Kerb weight | 244KG | | Fuel tank capacity | 12 litres | | Starting | Electric | | Transmission | ‘Twist and go’ automatic CVT, torque server | | Storage volume | n/a | | Cooling | Water cooled | | Bore X stroke | 85.8 x 69 mm | | Compression ratio | 10.5 :1 | | Chassis | Twin cradle: Tubes in high tensile steel | | Front suspension | Parallelogram composed of four aluminium arms supporting two steering tubes, cantilevered suspension – Travel: 85 (mm) | | Rear Suspension | Two dual effect hydraulic shock absorbers and adjustable spring preload – Travel: 110 (mm) | | Front brake | Two stainless steel disks, Ø 240 mm and floating calliper with two pistons, Ø 30 mmn | | Rear brake | Stainless steel disk, Ø 240 mm and calliper with opposite pistons, Ø 30 mm | | Front tyre | Tubeless 120/70-12†51P | | Rear tyre | Tubeless 140/70-14†62P | | Length | 2180 mm | | Width | 745 mm | | Wheelbase | 1550 mm | | Max speed (km/hr) | 142 km/h | | Type approval | Euro3 | | Consumption (ECE applicable text cycle) | (ECE applicable text cycle) 18 km/l | | Consumption @km/h - km/l | --- | | Audible Indicator | no | | Full helmet storage | yes | | Glove box | no | | Fuel Guage | yes | | Trip Meter | yes | | Seat release (via remote control) | yes | | Seat release (remote, ignition/switch) | yes
| | Alarm | immobiliser |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 06 August 2008 15:11 )
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Enter the MP3. Here, finally, is a machine that can give me the fun of a mid-size motorcycle (OK, without blinding speed, but sure-footed and perfectly safe on the freeway) plus the comfort of a relatively smooth ride and the convenience of fairly copious locked storage. Better yet, the front wheel locking mechanism means I'll be able to park the trike without having to push off with my feet while trying to balance. I can just set the wheel lock and ease the beast into its space (since the wheel lock was thoughtfully designed so that the trike can still be steered while it keeps itself upright.) Best of all, I'll be able simply to ride the trike up onto the RV platform, and ride it back down, without worrying about it falling over, and without stressing my back.
Piaggio has a solid market here, considering the numbers of boomergeezers like me, and many others, who would love to ride but desire an extra measure of safety. The MP3 is more agile than a cruiser, as peppy as most any mid-size scooter, and as capable of touring as any bike in its class. The MP3 400 hits the sweet spot- fun, extremely stable yet not monstrous in size- it still weighs in at under 500 lbs and is shorter but no wider than a small cruiser. As a bonus, it will get around 60 mpg. And it has panache. What's not to love?